My Adopted MIA

Name: Paul Lloyd Milius
Rank/Branch: O5/US Navy
Unit: Observation Squadron 67, Nakhon Phanom, Thailand
Date of Birth: 11 February 1928
Home City of Record: Waverly IA
Date of Loss: 27 February 1968
Country of Loss: Laos
Loss Coordinates: 170500N 1060300E (XD116889)
Status (in 1973): Missing in Action
Category: 2
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: OP2E
Other Personnel in Incident: John F. Hartzheim (missing)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project October 15, 1990 from one or
more of
the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources,
correspondence with
POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews.
REMARKS:
SYNOPSIS: The Lockheed P2 "Neptune" was originally designed for
submarine
searching, using magnetic detection gear or acoustic buoys. Besides
flying
maritime reconnaissance, the aircraft served as an experimental night
attack
craft in the attempt to interdict the movement of enemy truck convoys.
Another
model, the OP2E, dropped electronic sensors to detect truck movements
along the
supply route through Laos known as the "Ho Chi Minh Trail."

The Ho Chi Minh Trail was used by the North Vietnamese for transporting
weapons,
supplies and troops. Hundreds of American pilots were shot down trying
to stop
this communist traffic to South Vietnam. Fortunately, search and rescue
teams in
Vietnam were extremely successful and the recovery rate was high.
Still there were nearly 600 who were not rescued. Many of them went down
along
the Ho Chi Minh Trail and the passes through the border mountains
between Laos
and Vietnam. Many were alive on the ground and in radio contact with
search and
rescue and other planes; some were known to have been captured. Hanoi's
communist allies in Laos, the Pathet Lao, publicly spoke of American
prisoners
they held, but when peace agreements were negotiated, Laos was not
included, and
not a single American was released that had been held in Laos.

On February 27, 1968, Navy Capt. Paul L. Milius departed his base at
Nakhon
Phanom, Thailand (NKP) in an OP2E Neptune on an armed reconnaissance
mission
over Laos. Aboard were eight crew members assigned to Observation
Squadron 67,
plus Milius, the pilot.

The Neptune had precise navigational equipment and accurate optical
bombsight.
Radar was housed in a well on the nose underside of the aircraft, and
radar
technicians felt especially vulnerable working in this "glass bubble"
nosed
aircraft. It was believed that the aircraft could place the seismic or
acoustic
device within a few yards of the desired point, but to do this, the OP2E
had to
fly low and level, making it an easy target for the enemy's
anti-aircraft guns
that were increasing in number along the Trail.

Milius was over his assigned target in Khammouane Province, Laos, about
15 miles
southwest of the Ban Karai Pass, and was delivering ordnance on the
target when
the aircraft was struck by suspected anti-aircraft artillery. A
projectile
struck the underside of the aircraft and exploded in the radar well.
Petty
Officer John F. Hartzheim, an Avionics Technician assigned to the
aircraft, was
struck by fragments of the projectile and began bleeding profusely. The
radar
well burst into flames, filling the flight deck area of the aircraft
with dense,
acrid smoke.

The aircraft commander ordered the crew to bail out. Hartzheim was
carried to
the after station by the Tactical Coordinator. Upon arriving in the
after
station, Hartzheim stated that he could not go any farther, and
collapsed. Other
crew members later stated they believed Hartzheim died at this time, as
his eyes
were wide open and rolled to an upwards position and there was no
movement.
Milius was at this time still seated at the controls of the aircraft.

Seven crewmembers safely exited the aircraft, and were subsequently
rescued by
Search and Rescue forces. The area of the crashed aircraft was observed,
and it
was felt that no identifiable remains would be found. Hartzheim was not
believed
to exit the aircraft, and was believed to be dead. He was listed Killed,
Body
Not Recovered. It cannot be determined whether the enemy had knowledge
of his
ultimate fate.

The pilot, Paul Milius was not rescued. The Bombardier/Third Pilot, who
was
rescued, indicated that Milius was sitting at the after-station hatch
and bailed
out just prior to his own departure to the aircraft, but SAR efforts had
failed
to located and rescue him. Milius was listed Missing in Action.

The Defense Intelligence Agency further expanded Milius' classification
to
include an enemy knowledge ranking of 2. Category 2 indicates "suspect
knowledge" and includes personnel who may have been lost in areas or
under
conditions that they may reasonably be expected to be known by the
enemy.

The family of John Hartzheim has little doubt that he died the day his
aircraft
went down. They can take pride in his service, although they have to
grave to
visit. For the Milius family, as well as thousands of others, however,
solutions
are not so easy. Were it not for the thousands of reports concerning
Americans
still held captive in Southeast Asia, these families might be able to
close this
tragic chapter of their lives. But as long as Americans are alive, being
held
captive, one of them could be Paul Milius. It's time we brought these
men home.